Don Taylor

director
Feature Film

Escape from the Planet of the Apes

  • by Paul Dehn, directed by Don Taylor
  • (premiered at an unknown movie theater, Los Angeles, 26 May 1971)
Among the original Apes movies, only this one had true time travel; the others involved only relativistic time dilation, which (as even Dr. Milo knows) is technically not time travel. But in this one, Milo, Cornelius, and Zira are blown back to the time of the original astronauts (given the violence of the explosion, we’re going to call it a time rift) and are persecuted in a 70s made-for-TV manner. —Michael Main
Given the power to alter the future, have we the right to use it?
Roddy McDowall (as Cornelius), Kim Hunter (as Zira), and Milo stand defiantly in front of a lineup of militia.
  • Science Fiction
  • Definite Time Travel
Feature Film

The Final Countdown

Observer Warren Lasky is aboard the U.S.S. Nimitz when a storm takes the carrier back to the day before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Should they prevent the attack? What will be the consequences of saving a politician who may become Roosevelt’s running mate? Then the ship is returned to the present before they can do anything vaguely cool. —Michael Main
Today is December 7, 1941. I’m sure we are all aware of the significance of this date in this place in history. We are going to fight a battle that was lost before most of you were born. This time, with God’s help, it’s going to be different. . . . Good Luck.
The U.S.S. Nimitz emerges from a stormy time portal into a scene with World War 2 planes.
  • Science Fiction
  • Definite Time Travel